ATL gate agents are becoming increasingly unpleasant
#31
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 1,884
Instead of what? Giving you a taxi voucher for ATL to LGA???? What alternate airport would you have them send you to?
#32
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#33
Join Date: Apr 2004
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So how many FTers would be in a pleasant mood if having to deal with angry, clueless, and DYKWIA passengers for eight hours every day?
Before anyone berates me, I was a GA for a few years. Loved the job, even on the bad days, but there is only so much any person can take. My goal was always to have them leave the podium feeling at least a little better than from when they approached. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t.
Before anyone berates me, I was a GA for a few years. Loved the job, even on the bad days, but there is only so much any person can take. My goal was always to have them leave the podium feeling at least a little better than from when they approached. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t.
#34
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So how many FTers would be in a pleasant mood if having to deal with angry, clueless, and DYKWIA passengers for eight hours every day?
Before anyone berates me, I was a GA for a few years. Loved the job, even on the bad days, but there is only so much any person can take. My goal was always to have them leave the podium feeling at least a little better than from when they approached. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t.
Before anyone berates me, I was a GA for a few years. Loved the job, even on the bad days, but there is only so much any person can take. My goal was always to have them leave the podium feeling at least a little better than from when they approached. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t.
#35
Join Date: Feb 2013
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I think it has gotten much worse (there are still some amazing ones however)........add the gate agents to a majority of the check-in staff at the B Sky Club in ATL.....want to talk about people who hate their job its these people! Lately each time I have had to approach the gate area I have been met with those "short" responses and agents who really seem to care less, or honestly do not even know the rules.
#36
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 24
Over the past year or two, it has been harder to find talent at the low end of wages in Atlanta (and elsewhere). I've noticed a slight decrease in customer service across the economy, presumably due to turnover and companies that don't want to increase wages.
I'd be interested to hear if people making complaints remember living on a lower hourly wage or currently have friends in that position.
I'd be interested to hear if people making complaints remember living on a lower hourly wage or currently have friends in that position.
#37
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I seem to have more bad FAs in D1 international flights to/from ATL than any other routes.
The last example was someone who was not only surly, she was downright noncommunicating as if even uttering a few words to a customer would have been too much to expect. There was never a smile, a greeting, or even words such as please/thank you/you're welcome, and never a hint of being gracious about asking a question or offering something like the bread basket. I finally said something to the purser who responded as if she agreed with me but couldn't say much. Strange.
The last example was someone who was not only surly, she was downright noncommunicating as if even uttering a few words to a customer would have been too much to expect. There was never a smile, a greeting, or even words such as please/thank you/you're welcome, and never a hint of being gracious about asking a question or offering something like the bread basket. I finally said something to the purser who responded as if she agreed with me but couldn't say much. Strange.
#38
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: LAS
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Posts: 894
and that is the problem. not really relevant to this situation but you would be amazed how often I hear "I cant tell you the last time i saw anyone show up in person" everybody hides behind phones/emails/web conferences/etc now and nobody goes and sees anyone face to face anymore.
It is a shame because sometimes spending a few hundred dollars to shake a hand makes all the difference in the world.
It is a shame because sometimes spending a few hundred dollars to shake a hand makes all the difference in the world.
#39
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: LAS
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Posts: 894
if you want truly terrible customer service just go up to any employee at PHL. any airline. any venue. "what do you want" will sound like the most pleasant greeting in the world comparatively
#40
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I find PHL worse than even EWR, although there's a longterm SC employee at PHL who wonderful about keeping the lounge open to about midnight during IROPs and also keeping us up to date about the status of flights.
Last edited by MSPeconomist; Nov 29, 2018 at 5:32 am
#41
Join Date: May 2015
Location: DCA
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I seem to have more bad FAs in D1 international flights to/from ATL than any other routes.
The last example was someone who was not only surly, she was downright noncommunicating as if even uttering a few words to a customer would have been too much to expect. There was never a smile, a greeting, or even words such as please/thank you/you're welcome, and never a hint of being gracious about asking a question or offering something like the bread basket. I finally said something to the purser who responded as if she agreed with me but couldn't say much. Strange.
The last example was someone who was not only surly, she was downright noncommunicating as if even uttering a few words to a customer would have been too much to expect. There was never a smile, a greeting, or even words such as please/thank you/you're welcome, and never a hint of being gracious about asking a question or offering something like the bread basket. I finally said something to the purser who responded as if she agreed with me but couldn't say much. Strange.
My view is that FAs should be assigned based on performance and not seniority, but anything to ward off a union.
#42
Join Date: Aug 2006
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GAs are likely the next airline job to be automated (like ticket agents were a decade or more ago). I can’t wait for the day to come. There is absolutely no need for a human to stand there and watch people scan barcodes.
#43
Join Date: May 2015
Location: DCA
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GAs aren’t going anywhere. They do a lot more than just scan tickets.
#44
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#45
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I had a horrible agent in DTW at the SkyPriority service counter upon exiting customs. I did a SDC and needed to have my checked bag re-tagged so that it would fly with me on my new flight. The guy apparently botched it, kept my printed ticket receipt, and failed to give me a new bag claim sticky thing with a new number, although he did unnecessarily reprint the boarding pass. I looked at the new tag on the bag and verified that the new flight numbers were correct and assumed (I know what people say about that word) that the new bag claim was stuck to the back of the boarding pass. In the SC, the "track my bags" function on the app insisted that my bag was still in customs at DTW. I asked a SC agent whether something was wrong and she was fortunately able to fix the mess caused by the post-customs DL employee, but it took time and the outcome easily could have been a permanently lost bag with no proof that I had rechecked it.